I admit it does sound like a desperate attempt by the pro Tabor group. I've not decided which way to vote on that one.

How many times does this thing need to be voted on? Maine has said no time and again. What is the real reason these people wont stop pushing tabor? Whats in it for them? This sounds like a desperate attempt. Once again I will vote against tabor.

looks like the party of 'hope & change and tax & spend' down in augusta are tring to save their jobs & nest eggs at tax payers expense, why am i not surprised. you get what you vote for.

Why does Pingree's name keep comeing up as mixed up in questionable practices. Does she think she is above the law ? Is she just another dishonest politician. I think thes things should be investigated as well as Hannah's seemingly unprofessional behavior.

I must add that this would probably open up a can of beans in Augusta. Maybe we SHOULD investigate them all.

weasel speak!!!! it is not the meeting that is illegal, its the contacting state contractors and asking them for money to defeat tabor to a tune of 600,000 bucks!

these same contractors received over 178 million in tax payer money. That is pay to play. Vote yes on four.

60,000..... oops one too many zeros.....haha sounds like augusta!

AUGUSTA - The TABOR NOW campaign announced at a press conference in Augusta today that it has requested a criminal investigation of the legislative staff of the Senate President and House Speaker for possible violation of laws relating to the misuse of taxpayer-funded legislative resources for the purposes of raising money and building alliances to engineer the defeat of Questions 2 and 4 on the November 3 ballot.

After learning of an August 12 closed-door secret meeting held in the Speaker's Office, hosted by Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Elizabeth "Libby" Mitchell and Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree, the TABOR NOW and MORE GREEN NOW campaigns requested the legislative leaders' offices provide all documents and communications related to Questions 2 and 4 under Maine's Freedom of Access Act (FOAA).

The results of the request suggest legislative staff and campaign fundraisers colluded, using legislative property, legislative computer systems and legislative staff time, to hold the meeting with certain special interest members of Maine's transportation and construction community to solidify opposition, and to raise funds for the political action committees organized to defeat the two tax-related initiatives.

"Ultimately, we hope to raise funds from them [attendees of the secret meeting]," Rick McCarthy former Senate President Chief of Staff and current lobbyist for Maine Tomorrow wrote in an August 3 e-mail to Speaker Pingree's Senior Special Assistant William Brown. Later, on August 11, McCarthy wrote to Brown and Ted Potter, President Mitchell's Policy Director, that "I still think it [the secret meeting] should be held in the Speaker's Office. Much better it not be attended by the press."

In addition, McCarthy prepared a one-page "Talking Points" document specifically for the secret meeting for the House Speaker and Senate President to "Convince them that the TABOR II and Auto Excise Initiatives would be bad for Maine, bad for the state's economy, and bad for their businesses." McCarthy's Talking Points for the Speaker and President also suggests this secret meeting was a first step in a pay-to-play scheme, as he stressed the importance of the legislative leaders to convey to meeting attendees that, "It would be in your interest to support efforts to defeat the TABOR II and Auto Excise Tax Initiatives."

And just one day before the meeting was held, McCarthy sent another e-mail to Brown and Potter, in which he wrote, "I assume both leaders oppose any gas tax increase until after TABOR II and the Auto Excise Tax are defeated. If that's the case, they should say so."

These and other activities revealed as a result of the FOAA request suggest criminal behavior taking place in the offices of President Mitchell and Speaker Pingree, prompting TABOR NOW State Chairman David Crocker to request Attorney General Janet Mills launch a criminal investigation, and the State Ethics Commission investigate campaign and lobbyist conduct.

"These documents potentially reveal corruption and criminal behavior at the very highest levels of Maine's citizen Legislature," Crocker said. "Mainers' trust in their elected officials has been taken advantage of, and the legislative resources funded by our tax dollars have been abused for the purposes of blatant campaign activities and fundraising."

Crocker continued, "Although the activities surrounding the Speaker and President's secret meeting were potentially criminal, their thinly veiled threats, and the following contributions attendees made to the political action committees opposing Questions 2 and 4 indicate a play-to-play scandal that questions the integrity of the legislative leadership."

Between 2006 and 2008, contractors invited to the secret meeting received over $178 million in government contracts. After the meeting was held, many of the businesses who participated in the meeting contributed nearly $60,000 to the defeat of Questions 2 and 4.

"If you follow the money, it's clear this wasn't a meeting to discuss the changes in public policy these initiatives would create. This was about shaking down the businesses that contract with government and have profited off our tax dollars," said Tarren Bragdon, CEO of The Maine Heritage Policy Center. "The Speaker and Senate President may have raised $60,000 to oppose Questions 2 and 4, but they broke the law, and took advantage of the people's trust to do so."

We will soon see if the people of Maine are really stupid enough to vote themselves regular tax increases. If we end up being the highest taxed state in the nation we will deserve what we get because we had a choice; twice.

YES ON 4!!! (No on 6)

No surprise by this action from our Attorney General, as the Far Left liberals will do anything to protect their own... but this is going tooooo far! The corruption within the State of Maine must get exposed, and it's only a matter of time before that happens. As they say, "the rats are running scared" but we need to catch them.

Please call the AG's office today and demand an investigation of this matter:

Tel. 207-626-8800

While they're at it, I hope they also investigate the massive in-kind political donations coming from liberal organizations like MEA, SEIU Local 1989, Maine Municipal Association, AFL-CIO of Maine, Maine People's Alliance, and so many more.

The fraud must be stopped!

TABOR YES! NOW!

Take a look at the documents yourself and decide

http://www.tabornow.com/uploads/FOIA_Emails.pdf

http://www.tabornow.com/uploads/Timeline.pdf

Culture of Corruption hits Maine...Pingrees are bad for Mainers.

The majority of folks in Maine, historically vote for bond issues, and against any proposition to cut or limit tax increases. It would seem to me that folks here LIKE high taxes. Laugh if you will, but that's the record. It is also the record that the people who push for tax reform are investigated, fined, and/or jailed, not those who fight against it.

Along with my "yes" vote on four in November, comes a vow to vote solidly Republican at the State level, until we rid Augusta of it's current band of criminals. We've had a Democratic AG for over 30 years, and that is a prescription for corruption.

I'm sure this kind of thing goes on all the time, which is exactly why a light needs to be put on it now and then. What bothers me is that they freely use their tax-paid time working against a citizen's initiative. This is political arrogance at its very worst. STILL determined to keep reelecting this crowd?

The government seeks to limit those who wish to limit them. How shocking.

Watch the cockroaches scurry for cover as the light shines on them. Keep the pressure on and call your representative and the AGs office )Tel. 207-626-8800) and thell them that you demand an investigation into this. Then go vote YES on 4 to start the retrn of a vibrant economy to Maine. It's for the children, so that when they grow up they can have a chance to get a decent job and stay in Maine.

30 plus years of democrat control in augusta................. think about that in 2010.

vote yes on four

Pingree said the charges are “baseless, factless and frivolous,” ...

As are her legislative abilities!

Question 1: People's Veto ......YES

"Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Question 2: Citizen Initiative .....YES

“Do you want to cut the rate of the municipal excise tax by an average of 55% on motor vehicles less than six years old and exempt hybrid and other alternative-energy and highly fuel-efficient motor vehicles from sales tax and three years of excise tax?”

Question 3: Citizen Initiative ....... YES

“Do you want to repeal the 2007 law on school district consolidation and restore the laws previously in effect?”

Question 4: Citizen Initiative........ YES

An Act to Provide Tax Relief

“Do you want to change the existing formulas that limit state and local government spending and require voter approval by referendum for spending over those limits and for increases in state taxes?”

Question 5: Citizen Initiative ........YES

“Do you want to change the medical marijuana laws to allow treatment of more medical conditions and to create a regulated system of distribution?”

Question 6: Bond Issue ......... NO

“Do you favor a $71,250,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, airports, public transit facilities, ferry and port facilities, including port and harbor structures, as well as funds for the LifeFlight Foundation that will make the State eligible for over $148,000,000 in federal and other matching funds?”

Question 7: Constitutional Amendment ..... NO

“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to increase the amount of time that local officials have to certify the signatures on direct initiative petitions?”

AUGUSTA: Okay, here's your last chance before I fill out my ballot.

Don't tell me the world will end if I vote YES on 4...tell me why I don't need it.

Tell me how responsible you are and will continue to be. Don't tell me schools will be cut, while your pet rocks will flourish.

Tell me how you will look for efficiencies in your overhead, and you'll be ashamed when the generous salaries of your inner circle are published.

Show me that you really want to expand the state's tax base, rather than shifting it around to make it look bigger.

Show me that you didn't lie after TABOR I...show me that you actually did "get the message" and will change your ways.

No? Sorry, but you're not going to come home and beat me once again---and then promise, once again, that you'll never do it again.

I'm voting YES on 4, and I'll be electing someone that can run our state within those boundaries.

Join us 11:30 tonight when our guest will be

Maine's Attorney General Janet Mills - doing her

famous impersonation of SGT. SCHULTZ!!!

"I know Nothing.... NOTHING!"

"I see Nothing.... NOTHING, NOTHING!!!"

TABOR is required NOW! There is too much fraud within our government as well as within societies innate need for social programs. This government will need to step up now! Their lack of accountability is no longer tolerated and the US is in the condition it is in because of waste. We the people of this country are not expected to run our homes in the same irresponsible manner that our government is run, so why should we let them. Our children are at risk for our mistakes. The state has too many government drivers and desk warmers and not enough workers! This can and must change!

I believe that Attorney General Mills is way too political. She owes her position to the Democrats in the Legislature. How can she be impartial? She can't. We need to do away with the Legislature having anything to do with the Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Attorney General appointments. It is all about politics and should not be so.

Has a slight odor about it.

Since our AG is siding with her fellow Far Left liberals on this mess, and this newspaper doesn't seem to have any investigative reporters on staff, thank god the truth can be seen at

www.AsMaineGoes.com

When will the old fashioned honest reporters make a return?

Wow, just read the emails at http://www.tabornow.com/uploads/FOIA_Emails.pdf

Now what do you think? It's time for one major investigation!

Here's a link to the full release and documentation: http://tinyurl.com/ylgxjcv

Read it and decide for yourselves.

The fact remains that 89% of the monies raised from the special interests and industries represented at the meeting, came from meeting attendees.

A = A, folks.

If the Libster and her ilk had nothing to hide, why was it so imperative Maine news media not be present?

Our masters will do everything in their power tax us into oblivion. YES ON 4! YES ON 2!

Janet Mills - chief in charge of whitewashing the criminal behaviour of the party faithful.

you know what is really insulting ????? when you write your congressionals on different issues voicing your opinion along with NUMEROUS other emails and they go un-answered by the very people who are swearig they are in OUR best interest!!!!!

The taxes that taxpayers pay will not go down even if it gets voted for or against. Either way it goes, taxes will not be going down...